
According to Bleacher Report, the Eagles are a potential trade destination for Miami Dolphins Xavien Howard. It is well known that the Eagles are a little thin at the cornerback position. In 2020, the Eagles relied on Darius Slay and Avonte Maddox for most of last year. The Eagles also drafted a cornerback in Zech McPherson in the 2021 draft, who has the talent to help the Eagles out at cornerback down the line. Since he is a rookie coming into the 2021 season, it is unknown if he can produce right away as a starting NFL cornerback. If the Eagles trade for Howard, then it would give some veteran depth at the position and cut some slack on the younger cornerbacks on the depth chart. This article will go over Howard’s career so far, Zach Ertz being a potential factor and if Howard is a good fit in Philadelphia. This is Eagles Rumor Mill: Possible Xavien Howard Trade.
Howard has already turned a lot of heads in Miami. He is coming off a Pro Bowl season and looks to do the same in 2021. Howard has a lot of good attributes as he can tackle and he is a ball hawk. In his most recent campaign with Miami, Howard had 40 solo tackles and 10 interceptions. He ranked number one in the NFL in interceptions in 2020.
Photo Courtesy of Allen Eyestone/ The Palm Beach Post.
The interception total is not a one-off occurrence, either, compared to other seasons. In 2018, Howard racked up seven interceptions during his first Pro Bowl season. He also had racked up 25 solo tackles in 2018. Howard has definitely become a hot commodity when it comes to cornerbacks. If the Eagles want to snag him, then they will have to make a good trade deal with Miami.
As said above, the Eagles are going to have to make a sweet deal with Miami to get Howard. Ertz could be a possible player that the Eagles might want to throw in. Ertz has been one of Philadelphia’s best tight ends for years and can still be a factor in the NFL. The Eagles tight end, who only played 11 games during the season, still put up great numbers. He had 335 receiving yards and one touchdown during a shortened campaign. During other years, Ertz has cracked 1,000 receiving yards or has come really close to it. He also has good hands and length to out-duel the defense. Miami is a little thin at tight ends at the moment and Ertz can solve that hole that they need to fix.
Howard is a great fit for Philadelphia. Slay underperformed during an unusual 2020 season, since the pandemic was a huge factor. Slay has proven that he is a dominant cornerback and he should get back on track this year. If the Eagles can add Xavien Howard in the backfield, then it could be a special season for the secondary in 2021. The Eagles need defensive players that can force turnovers and give the Eagles more opportunities. It would seem like there would be no better player than Xavien Howard to help the Eagles out in that department.
You can like The Game Haus on Facebook and follow us on Twitter for more sports and esports articles from great TGH writers along with Matthew!